Solid-Lubrication with Continous Replenishment by Catalytically Generated Carbon and Related Means

在石油工业中，碳氢化合物裂解和脱氢的催化剂表面在使用一段时间后会因为碳或“焦”涂层而变得不活跃。拟议的研究旨在将这种涂层用作自补充固体润滑剂，这种涂层最好是在模拟“绝热”柴油机等运行机械环境的条件下生产的。碳涂层的持续磨损将保持底物的催化活性。这种柴油机活塞环/气缸区的工作温度与某些过渡金属催化结焦的最佳温度恰好在500-600℃范围内重合。燃烧室气体在这些碳上的吸附将进一步减少摩擦和磨损。同样的过渡金属，无论是在合金中，还是在陶瓷中或陶瓷上，也接近于碳氢化合物。建议的研究计划将使用销盘试验机对可重复制备的样品进行测试，并确定摩擦和磨损率、碳形成速率和碳氧化率，以帮助指导发动机环境中高温润滑的设计和材料选择。

Catalytic surfaces for hydrocarbon cracking and dehydrogenation have been known in the petroleum industry to become inactive after some use because of carbon or "coke" coating. The proposed research is directed toward using such coatings, preferably produced under conditions simulating the environment of such operating machinery as the "adiabatic" diesel engine, as self-replenishing solid lubricants. Continued wear of the carbon coatings would maintain catalytic activity of the substrate. The operating temperatures in the piston-ring/cylinder area of such a diesel engine and the preferred temperature of catalytic coke generation by some transition metals happen to coincide in the 500-600 C range. Adsorption of combustion chamber gases on these carbons would further reduce friction and wear. The same transition metals, in alloys or in or on ceramics are also close to hydrocarbons. The suggested research program will use pin-on-disk testers on reproducibly prepared samples and determine the friction and wear rates, rates of carbon formation and rates of carbon oxidation to help guide the design and materials selection for high temperature lubrication in an engine environment.